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{
    "id": 966751,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/966751/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 250,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cherargei",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13217,
        "legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
        "slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
    },
    "content": "as we anticipate the challenges that are in Samburu and Kiambu counties, that does not give justification or license for anybody to disrupt the implementation of devolution. Mr. Deputy Speaker, if you allow the courts and such individuals to push the agenda through any way, I can tell you that we will be removing the power of the people that has been given in Article 2 of the Constitution, where the sovereignty of the people can be practiced only through elected representatives. Secondly, it is important that you have reassured and instilled confidence in the future of devolution. This is because as the “Upper House” and the protector of the interests of the counties as provided in Article 96, we need to reassure Kenyans and instill confidence in them that devolution will work for our people. As I have said, when my colleagues were doing the supplementary budget the other day, some of them said that the Judiciary should not appear before the Senate. It means that we have a shortage or disability of reasoning and understanding. I hope that this illustrious ruling – I can equate it to the Solomonic ruling – should be supplied for academic, political discourse and people who are trying to build bridges, so that they can understand the dynamics of running an “Upper House”. Mr. Deputy Speaker Sir, I thank Sen. Olekina, because his intention was to ensure an efficient running of our country governments. It is good that you have given him an option of redrafting that Motion, so that we can ensure that our county governments run smoothly. I understand his frustrations. Today, we were sitting with the governors in regards to pending bills. I have had occasions where I sat in the County Public Accounts and Investment Committee (CPAIC) when governors appeared before them. It is high time that we protect devolution by all means as a country. As you have said before, there is a way they can try and kill some of these institutions. Thirdly, as a celebrated academician and a leader, I always tell you that your future is bright and luminous. When history will be written, you will have a special chapter in the history of Kenya, because you are steering the legislative arm of Government in the right direction. I want to tell Kenyans that as a Senate, we are interested in protecting the independence of all arms of Government. We are interested in ensuring that the interests of counties are protected. We are looking into the future even in terms of allocation resources. We are aiming for one man, one vote, one shilling, so that everybody can be allocated based on their issues. We ask the courts to be very careful when making decisions especially, those that have a far-reaching effect on the issue of this--- Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we saw the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) Report, which has 156 pages of proposals. One of them is that Kenyans are happy about devolution. In fact, Kenyans propose that we need to move from allocations of 15 per cent to even 50 per cent. Mr. Deputy Speaker Sir, I thank you graciously because you gave the BBI the baby that I raised. Unfortunately they threw the baby and the birth water away, but we still have that drafted Bill. Our main issue was on how to strengthen devolution in order to ensure that more resources go to Narok, Kisumu or any other county. That has always been the agenda of this House. I am happy that Kenyans came out in large numbers to The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}